Teasing and unsnarling implement



Allgl969 J. F. CONNELL 3,459,199

vTEASING AND UNSNARLING IMPL EMENT Filed July 13. 1966 F/ 7 Mum/70x?levy F Corme/Z United States Patent 3,459,199 TEASING AND UNSNARLINGIMPLEMENT Jerry F. Connell, 1429 Chestnut St., Gadsden, Ala. 35901 FiledJuly 13, 1966, Ser. No. 564,901 Int. Cl. A45d 24/00 US. Cl. 132-11 5Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A teasing and unsnarling implementincluding a support means and a plurality of hair-engaging elementsspaced from each other and extending along the support means. Each ofthe hair-engaging elements comprising a plurality of spaced apart teethparallel to each other and perpendicular to the central longitudinalaxis of the support means. The teeth of one element are spaced from andallgned between the teeth of the adjacent elements. Each tooth has asmooth periphery and a tapered side or edge Wh1ch slopes away from thesupport means. The support means is rotatably connected to a handle anda driving means is carried in the handle for rotating the support means.

This invention relates to improvements in combs and brushes and inparticular relates to an improved power operated teasing and unsnarlingimplement provided with tangentially extending hair-engaging elements.It is well recognized that a comb or brush when moved 1n a translatorymotion from distal to proximal end of the strands of hair will teasethose strands and thereby stimulate them to give the appearance ofthicker hair having a greater degree of resilience. Further, it is wellrecognrzed that a comb or brush when moved in a translatory motion fromproximal to distal end of the strands of hair will groom said hair andremove and untangle any snarls which might be present therein. However,both the, teasing and unsnarling operation have proven mostuncomfortable for the operator heretofore due to the length of /time andvigorous motion required for the teasing operation and the erking andpulling required for the unsnarling operation. Both of theseshortcomings ultimately result in damage to the hair and-discomfort andfatigue for the operator.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a poweroperated rotating teasing and unsnarling implement which substantiallyreduces the amount of translatory movement to be supplied by theoperator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality ofhalr-engaging elements tangentially depending from an elongate rotatingsupport means, which when rotating, will transmit a rhythmicallyintermittent translatory force to the strands of hair.

A further object of this invention is to provide hairengagrng elementsdesigned to impart a gentle translatory motion to the strands of haircausing an encountered snarl to be gently disentangled without an undueamount of jerking or pulling.

Another object of this invention is to provide hairengaging elementsdesigned to gradually engage a snarl of hair in the penetrating 90rotation of the elongate support means and gradually disengage the samesnarl in the subsequent exiting 90 rotation of the elongate supportPatented Aug. 5, 1969 means, thereby imparting a rhythmicallyintermittent translatory force to the encountered snarls of hair.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the teasing andunsnarling implement comprises a drive housing handle having areversible variable speed electrical motor mounted therein, a rotatableelongate support means having a central axis extending longitudinallythrough the center thereof joined to the drive shaft of said electricalmotor, and a plurality of hair-engaging elements tangentially dependingfrom said rotatable support means. Said hair-engaging elements in thisembodiment consist of a series of three teeth which depend from saidsupport means in a common plane substantially perpendicular to thecentral axis of said support means; said teeth being disposed at anangle of substantially from each other. Said teeth have sides taperedtoward the outer end of each tooth thereby creating an arcuate outersurface which permits a gradual engaging and disengaging of encounteredsnarls. Said hair-engaging elements are alternatively afiixed to saidrotatable support means at a differential of Said elements when rotatingtransmit a rhythmically intermittent translatory force to the strands ofhair by means of continuously engaging and disengaging said strands ofhair. The alternating relationship of the hair-engaging elements causesthe translatory force to 'be more continuous in relation to anencountered snarl.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top planar view of the teasing and unsnarling implement ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section on line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are vertical section views of other hair-engagingelements which may be used in place of the looped bristles shown inFIGS. l-3.

Upon particular reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, it will benoted that the teasing and unsnarling implement 10 includes a brush head11 which is rotatably mounted upon a drive housing handle 12. A meansfor grasping implement 10 is provided by handle 12 and a variable speedadjustor 13 is mounted on handle 12 for selective adjustment of therelative rotational velocity of the head 11. A reversing switch 1 4 isalso provided on a portion of handle 12 for conveniently reversing thedirection of rotation of brush head 11 while it is being used.

A source of rotation 16, which is, for example, an electric motor, ismounted within handle 12. The power to operate motor 16 is preferablysupplied through an electric cord and plug set 18 for connection to astandard 110-120 volt A.C. outlet. Implement 10 may also be operated bybatteries, for example, of the nickel cadmium cell type, which could beinserted within handle 12 in customary flashlight manner.

Brush head 11 consists of an elongate cylindrical support means 20rotatable about a longitudinal axis extending through the center of saidsupport means 20. Said longitudinal axis functions as a common axis fora plurality of hair-engaging elements 22 which depend alternatively fromsaid support means 20 at a differential of 180. One hair-engagingelement 22 consists of a plurality of teeth 24 depending from supportmeans 20 in a common plane substantially perpendicular to thelongitudinal common axis of said support means 20. Each tooth 24 hassides which taper toward the outer end of said tooth 24 thereby creatingan arcuate outer surface designed to gradually engage and disengage anencountered snarl as said support means 20 rotates. In this embodiment,I have shown a series of thre looped bristles or teeth 24 depending fromsupport means 20 and disposed at an angle of substantially 120 from eachother. This configuration is presented solely for explanatory purposesand should not limit the scope of my invention. With the above describedarrangement of teeth, the ends 26 of each tooth are conventionallyanchored in support means 20 and spaced therearound at a distance equalto approximately one third the circumference of the outer surface ofsupport means 20, thus creating the maximum amount of stability for eachtooth and allowing the maximum amount of slope for each tooth side whilecontaining the element 22 within one plane. In alternative arrangementsof teeth, the ends of those teeth should also be spaced at a maximumaround the outer surface of support means 20 while maintaining theentire element within one plane.

It should be understood that alternative arrangements of hair-engagingelements, such as a series of 4 or more teeth, a different degree ofdifferentials between hair-engaging elements 22, or a constantlydissimilar series of differentials between hair-engaging elements 22 areall equally within the inventive concept as herein disclosed.Furthermore, the teeth may be of variable length in accordance with thecharacter or quality of the hair being teased or unsnarled, and may beof any suitable material, including thermoplastic, rubber, nylon ormetal. The relative spacings of the hair-engaging elements 22 also arevariable and would depend again on the character or quality of hairbeing teased or unsnarled. In addition, the teeth 24 of thehair-engaging elements 22 may be of hollow or solid construction and mayconsist of looped bristles shaped into any desirable configuration.

As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, -6 and 7, additional designs of hair-engagingelements are equally within the inventive concept. These includesubstantially square or pointed shaped solid teeth or looped bristles ofvarious designs. The essential factor is that the elements have sidesurfaces to contact with the strands of hair and an arcuate or angledoutermost surface which will easily engage and disengage the strands ofhair or encountered snarls.

A drive shaft 28 extends within support means 20 and is anchored thereinin a fashion similar to that as described for the anchoring of teeth 24into the surface of support means 20. Drive shaft 28 acts as anextension of the rotor shaft 30 of motor 15, and provides the rotationalforce for the brush head 11.

The proximal end of brush head 11 is designed to rotatably receivehandle 12 therein thereby precluding the inadvertent tangling or windingof strands of hair around drive shaft 28.

In the teasing operation, the operator should grasp the handle of theimplement in one hand, extend a portion of hair with the other hand,force the hair engaging elements into engagement with the strands ofhair at their base, energize the motor so that the rotation of thehair-engaging elements is toward the roots ofthe strands of hair, andmove the implement with a translatory motion lengthwise of the hairtoward the end thereof The rotation of the hair-engaging elements willimpart a substantially translatory force to each strand of hair and willthereby tease and stimulate said strand of hair.

In the unsnarling and grooming operation, the operator should performsimilarly as for the teasing operation except that the rotation of thehair-engaging elements should be toward the ends of the strands of hair.As a snarl is encountered, a tooth of the hair-engaging element willengage the snarl on the penetrating 90 rotation of the head, gently pushagainst said snarl, and then gradually disengage the same snarl as thattooth proceeds into its exiting rotation. As this tooth exits, itssister tooth begins its penetrating 90 rotation and subsequent contactwith the snarl. The 180 differentiation between hair-engaging elementsallows the snarl to be acted upon by more than one set of teeth, therebycreating a substantially continuous but rhythmic disentanglement of theoperators hair. The ultimate result is that tangles and snarls areremoved expeditiously and relatively comfortably.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A teasing and unsnarling implement including a plurality ofhair-engaging elements and a support means, said support meanscomprising an elongate structure having a central axis extendinglongitudinally throuh the center of said structure, said hair-engagingelements extending from said support means in parallel spacedrelationship to one another, and each said element comprising a set ofteeth spaced from each other along said central axis and extendingoutwardly from said support means substantially perpendicular to saidcentral axis, said teeth of each said element being aligned with eachother along a line parallel to said central axis, said teeth of one ofsaid elements being parallel to said teeth of each of said elementsadjacent said one element, said teeth of said one element being alignedwith the space between said teeth of said adjacent element, each of saidteeth of each of said elements being wider at the point where said teethjoin said support means than at the outer end of said teeth, each ofsaid teeth having a tapering side extending from said support meanstoward the outer end of said teeth, each of said teeth defining a smoothsurface between said side and the outer end of said teeth.

2. A teasing and unsnarling implement according to claim 1 wherein saidhair-engaging elements and support means are rotatably mounted on adrive housing handle within which is disposed a source of rotationhaving a rotor shaft; a drive shaft extending from said rotor shaft andanchored to said support means thereby providing powered rotationalvelocity to said hair-engaging elements.

3. A teasing and unsnarling implement including a plurality ofhaid-cngaging elements, a cylindrical support means having a centralaxis extending longitudinally through the center thereof, and means forrotating said support means, said hair-engaging elements extending fromsaid support means in parallel spaced relationship to one another, andeach element comprising a set of teeth extending radially outwardly fromsaid support means, said teeth of each element being disposed in acommon plane substantially perpendicular to said central axis and havingsides tapered in a converging fashion toward the outer end thereofthereby providing an arcuate outer surface whereby an encountered snarlmay be gradually engaged and disengaged, said hair-engaging elementsalternately affixed to said support means at a differential of 180, saidhair-engaging elements comprising looped bristles which are anchored tothe support means in sets of three and extend from said support means atan angle of in relation to one another, said looped bristles having endsanchored to said support means at a distance substantially equal toone-third the circumference of said support means thereby creating, whenin operation, a rhythmically intremittent translatory force against thestrands of the operators hair.

4. A teasing and unsnarling implement according to claim 3 wherein saidmeans for rotating said support means includes a handle and a source ofrotation, said source of rotation being variable and reversible, and anadjusting switch provided upon said handle for conveniently adjustingand changing the direction of rotation of said hair-engaging elements asthey are being used.

5. A teasing and unsnarling implement including a plurality ofhair-engaging elements and a support means, said hair-engaging elementsextending from said support means in parallel spaced relationship to onanother, each said element comprising a set of teeth spaced along saidsupport means parallel to each other and extending outwardly from saidsupport means substantially perpendicular thereto, said teeth of eachelement defining at least one outer surface angled with respect to saidsup- 5 port means and defining a continuous smooth edge whereby anyencountered snarl may be gradually engaged and disengaged.

6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1924 Roscher "1329-159 5/1946Vrana l32148 ROBERT PESHOCK, Primary Examiner JAMES W. MITCHELL,Assistant Examiner

